Russian central bank says inflationary pressure remains high, but is easing

FILE PHOTO: Fruit, vegetables and berries are displayed for sale at the State Department Store, GUM, in central Moscow, Russia September 21, 2017. REUTERS/Sergei Karpukhin

MOSCOW (Reuters) – EMBARGO 1730 GMTInflationary pressure remains high in Russia, the central bank said in a report on Monday, but there are signs that some pressure is easing and annual inflation will start to fall in the autumn.

In June, annual inflation accelerated to 6.5%, its fastest rate since August 2016, providing Russia with a strong argument to raise rates at its next rate-setting meeting on July 23 and adding to concerns that tighter monetary policy might hamper economic growth.

The central bank on Monday said inflation would return to the 4% target in the second half of 2022 and remain near that level in the future.

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